# So, what's up with Florida? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254 "2012-11-07T18:25:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/1 "2012-11-07T18:25:23Z")
The election is over. President Obama is going to serve a second term. The electoral votes from Florida will not change this. This [site](http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/2012/results/florida) has Florida with 100% of the votes in. Mr. Obama has a margin of 47,493 votes. Call the race already and move on! ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/2 "2012-11-07T18:30:31Z")
Any margin under 50,000 will trigger an automatic recount. You’re right that it is over, the state will go to Obama, but the events of 2000 make any news organization exceedingly loathe to call Florida for anybody anymore. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/3 "2012-11-07T18:31:21Z")
Probably some auto-recount provision they’re hammering out, no? Would the expense of an automatic recount go through if it doesn’t make a difference in the final total? ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/4 "2012-11-07T18:32:52Z")
Can Romney tell Florida to not bother? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/5 "2012-11-07T18:33:05Z")
Yeah honestly… it seems like an expensive waste of time to do a recount. I hope there’s some provision in the “automatic recount” law that says that if both candidates agree it’s unnecessary, that they can stop it. However, I wouldn’t be surprised that even if something like that existed, Romney would still want the recount to go through so he could possibly get a few more electoral votes, ha! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/6 "2012-11-07T18:57:33Z")
As a Floridian, I’d like to know where my electoral votes end up going. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/7 "2012-11-07T18:57:55Z")
It’ll go to Obama. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/8 "2012-11-07T19:06:07Z")
According to this local news site: [http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content/topstories/story/Florida-vote-in-limbo/RHwE43crjEyt4uODDO8AsQ.cspx](http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content/topstories/story/Florida-vote-in-limbo/RHwE43crjEyt4uODDO8AsQ.cspx) the issue is absentee and provisional ballots. Given the length of the ballot in Florida this time, it is understandable that those would take a while. I am guessing those don’t get counted until after polls are closed. One change they could look at is doing that counting once the polls open on election day. That is how it is done in Ohio for absentee and early voters. As soon as closing time rolls around the absentee numbers are posted. Also, that site reports a recount is triggered with a margin of less than a half of a percent. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/9 "2012-11-07T19:08:06Z")
The issue is the provisional ballots **howye** mentioned. In Florida there are usually a lot of them, although the number in the story (9,000) doesn’t sound especially huge. It’s always something in Florida, although a lot of states need major improvements in their handling of elections. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/10 "2012-11-07T19:09:27Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Yeah honestly… it seems like an expensive waste of time to do a recount. I hope there’s some provision in the “automatic recount” law that says that if both candidates agree it’s unnecessary, that they can stop it. > > However, I wouldn’t be surprised that even if something like that existed, Romney would still want the recount to go through so he could possibly get a few more electoral votes, ha! From a philosophical and idealistic standpoint, I could see the reasoning: you want everyone to know their vote counts, the democracy is a Very Serious Thing With Rules and Procedures That Must Be Followed, etc., so voters don’t feel disenfranchised. I get that. But, yeah, an opt-out clause would be nice as a matter of practicality and fiscal sense. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/11 "2012-11-07T19:49:07Z")
They are probably going through polling center trash baskets making sure they have all the chads. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/12 "2012-11-07T22:08:56Z")
Tell me what the deal is with voting in Florida anyway. I’ve seen film of people standing in lines that are hours long? Do they have so few places to vote that the ones they have are that crowded? What’s the deal? I guess I’m spoiled. I vote in California and I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/13 "2012-11-07T22:34:47Z")
That’s a good question - seems like the voting infrastructure needs sprucing up, at least. As far as the counts, [here is a breakdown](http://enight.elections.myflorida.com/CountyReportingStatus/) of reporting status by county. All of the precincts have reported in, but the Provisional and Federal Absentee ballots are still being counted by almost every county. And since one of those Absentee ballots is mine, I’d like it counted, thank you very much. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/14 "2012-11-07T22:37:27Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Tell me what the deal is with voting in Florida anyway. I’ve seen film of people standing in lines that are hours long? Do they have so few places to vote that the ones they have are that crowded? What’s the deal? > > I guess I’m spoiled. I vote in California and I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes. Beats me. I live in orlando and voted by mail, which Everyone is allowed to do. There is also early voting, which everyone is allowed to do. It might be a secret IQ test of some kind. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/15 "2012-11-07T23:46:01Z")
Here’s a [news article](http://www.firstcoastnews.com/topstories/article/281521/483/Florida-very-close-to-recount-in-presidential-race-even-if-results-are-moot) on the potential recount. It says > [@](#): > > Florida Secretary of State spokesman Chris Cate says counting absentee ballots is more time consuming because it’s not as simple as running them through a machine. Local canvassing boards must verify the signature on a ballot before it can be counted. > > President Obama leads Romney by about 45,000 votes out of 8.3 million ballots cast in Florida. > > That margin is just over a half percent. If the final tally falls within a half percent, then state law orders a recount. But it also says that Romney has the option to decline a recount (as presumably would Obama if the remaining ballots somehow flipped 50,000 votes Romney’s way). I’d expect Romney to do so, just because it would do him no good whatsoever to ask for a recount whereas saying “it’s time to put this behind us” and “I want to save the Florida taxpayers an unnecessary expense” would make him look good. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/16 "2012-11-07T23:51:23Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Tell me what the deal is with voting in Florida anyway. I’ve seen film of people standing in lines that are hours long? Do they have so few places to vote that the ones they have are that crowded? What’s the deal? We had record turnout, and we’re not very good at this democracy thing. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/17 "2012-11-08T00:29:56Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Tell me what the deal is with voting in Florida anyway. I’ve seen film of people standing in lines that are hours long? Do they have so few places to vote that the ones they have are that crowded? What’s the deal? > > I guess I’m spoiled. I vote in California and I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes. As has been mentioned, the ballots were quite long and chock full of obscure and time-consuming referendums and state constitutional amendments. I think it took around 30 minutes+ average per voter to complete a ballot. With stuff like this, it’s no wonder the lines moved slowly: > [@](#): > > ``` > But what may prompt some voters to rub their eyes in disbelief is the Legislature's decision to place 11 proposed changes to the Constitution on the ballot, some of which appear in their entirety. > "They have really created a monster," said Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Harry Sawyer Jr. in Key West. > Four amendments run on for hundreds of words, and are full of legalese such as this, on Amendment No. 5, dealing with the court system: **"If the Legislature determines that a rule has been readopted and repeals the readopted rule, this proposed revision prohibits the court from further readopting the repealed rule without the Legislature's prior approval."** > > ``` > **[Florida voters facing a long, long ballot in November](https://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/florida-voters-facing-a-long-long-ballot-in-november/1250664/)** > > TALLAHASSEE — Brace yourselves, Florida voters: The election ballot you'll see this fall is longer than ever. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/18 "2012-11-08T00:43:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > We had record turnout, and we’re not very good at this democracy thing. Yeah, why is that? We’ve had it as long as most other states. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/19 "2012-11-08T00:44:55Z")
I blame all the New Yorkers. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254/20 "2012-11-08T00:46:25Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > As has been mentioned, the ballots were quite long and chock full of obscure and time-consuming referendums and state constitutional amendments. I think it took around 30 minutes+ average per voter to complete a ballot. > > With stuff like this, it’s no wonder the lines moved slowly: > [Florida voters facing a long, long ballot in November](http://www.tampabay.com/news/localgovernment/florida-voters-facing-a-long-long-ballot-in-november/1250664) One is tempted to suspect the Republicans (all 11 amendments were sponsored by Pub state legislators) of intending that effect. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-up-with-florida/640254.md?page=2)